Shimming Planetary Gear Cogs

[threewood]

I've read Monroe's book and although it mentions shimming the planetary gear set with a .010" shim under the thrust washer it doesn't specifically mention shimming the individual gears in the set (3, 4, or 5).

Mine have definite play up and down on the shaft, but side to side is tight. It stands to reason that if the up down play in the shaft remains the sun gear and planetary set will have some play as the planetary gears are thrust up and down on their respective pivot pins.

Is there a max or min on the play? Do they make shims to correct this? Anyone shim the planetary gears? Look to be held in with a roll pin. Thanks.

 

[TrailBeast]

It's a solid steel pin with peened spots on the ends.
I used to rebuild those and we had a kit for it that had a punch, new pins, washers, needle bearings and re-peening tool.
We drove the pin out and replaced the washers, needle bearings and pin with new.
Even the good condition gears had what I considered way to much end play so I would shim them up to about .025 with the washers in the kit.
If you go too tight they will burn up the needle bearings because the fluid needs to be able to get in there in decent quantity to cool and lube them.

Though it would be easy to find washers to shim with, you would still be stuck with reusing the original pin and needle bearings and re-peening it.
Generally the shop rule was if they didn't move sideways or twist on the pin they didn't want them rebuilt.
(I just couldn't leave some of them with 1/16 or more of end play.)

I have since looked for a kit like I had a long time ago thinking we (FABO) might be able to rebuild some of our planetaries, but never found one.

One other thing to keep in mind is that driving that peened pin through the needle bearings can break or score things where the fixed set failed because of the repair.

 

[threewood]

Great info Trailbeast, thanks! I guess I am overthinking things. I wonder if a roll pin would be a good replacement for the factory pin? I'm almost thinking some distributor shims would work. I just hate getting end play near min. and still have the planetaries rattling around. And straight cut gears are a bit overkill for my wallet and car lol.